Toothbrush



Spn 23 1924., 1,509,720

J. A. DONNELL TooTHBRUsH Filed Jul'y 15 192'] Patented Sept. 23, 1,9274,

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A.. DONNELL,

OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

TOOTHBRUSH.

Application led Tuly 15,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that JAMES A. DONNELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, has invented new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a tooth brush which can be used with facility l0 in brushing the teeth vertically or longitudinally instead of laterally as in the ordinary practice, the former method being that which is specially advocated by dentists as a means of effecting the most satisfactory treatment of the teeth; and with this object in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of the invention. Figure 2 is a sectional head thereof.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the head on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure i is a detail section on the plane indicated by the line it of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the shield detached.

The brush consists essentially of the rotary head 1() of cylindrical form having a core 11 of suitable material carrying the bristles and adapted to be rotated by means of a spindle 12 provided with a handle portion 13, the spindle being supported and guided in positioning` the brush head by means of a stem 14k which carries a bearing head 15 in which the spindle is revo-lubly mounted.

The spindle 12 is detachably connected with the core of the brush head as by means of a threaded portion 16 engaging a socket 17 in the end of the core to permit of replac- 5 ing or renewing the brush head as may be required without necessitatinfT the renewal of the other portions of the device, and the brush head is preferably arranged in a housing consisting of a shield 18 of Celluloid or 20 a brush embodying view of the rotary 1921. Serial No. 484,969.

similar light material of arched or semi cylindrical form to bear against the inner surface of the cheek and prevent the bristles of the brush from coming into contact with. and abrading or rubbing the same.

In operation the stem may be held in one hand to position the brush head while the latter is rotated in either direction by the fingers of the other hand applied to the handle 13, so that a more or less rapid rotation longitudinally in opposite directions or in a common direction may be imparted to the brush head and at the same time due to the fact that the spindle 12 is of considerably greater length than the bearing in the head 15, it may be reciprocated so that the brush head may receive both a rotary and a reciprocatory movement in rubbing the teeth.

In the construction illustrated the body portion of the stem 14 is pivotally mounted as at 19 upon the bearing head 15 to permit of folding the former parallel with the handle 13 when the device is not in use or of holding the stem in the most convenient position to the operator when the brush is in use. The shield is adapted to be arranged in any desired posit-ion with relation to the brush head so as to permit the device to be used either right-handed or left-handed at the convenience of the operator.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is A tooth brush comprising' a shaft having a collar thereon, a cylindrical brush mounted upon the shaft and spaced from the collar, a semicylindrical shield loosely mounted upon the shaft and bearing against the collar and having an end portion interposed between the brush and the collar, a pivot member connecting the outer end of the shield with the brush and disposed at the center thereof, a bearing head in which the shaft is journaled, and a handle pivotally connected with the bearing head.

In testimony whereof he afliXes his signature.

JAMES A. DONNELL. 

